Fr. James Tully has been hiding out in churches around the world and is now taking refuge at the Xaverian Missionary Fathers residence in Wayne.

Photo of James Tully taken several years ago. In 1986-87, Tully, a Xaverian Missionary priest, sexually abused Bill Nash, when Nash was a young seminarian in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to Milwaukee Criminal Court documents.

Tully also abused other Wisconsin kids, according to the documents, and abused youngsters in Boston according to a settlement by the Archdiocese of Boston.

In 2002, after new allegations were made by another victim, Tully was sent to work at the Vatican. In November 2007, he was transferred to work in Vicenza, Italy. Nash tracked him down there and publicly exposed him through media outlets.

Motivated by positive public remarks by the Pope six months ago during his April trip to the United States, Nash publicly announced in June that he petitioned the Vatican to defrock Tully.

At the time of the alleged abuse, Nash was studying to become a priest. In 2005, he received a $75,000 settlement from the Xaverians. Nash now lives in Ashfield, Massachusetts.

Tully was born in Malverne Long Island, and was from the diocese of Rockville Center.